Salisbury front axle/diff for my 109

[gallf1]

I have an opportunity to purchase a Salisbury front axle from a 109 1-ton. My 109 has been converted to a Ford 302 V-8, T-18 4 speed transmission, Salisbury rear axle, and 1-ton leaf springs front and back.

I am told that from the axle flanges - outboard to the hubs the Salisbury front axle uses the same swivel ball, housing and stub axle as the standard Rover axle (with the exception of the drive flange which needs to be 24 spline for the Sals). It seems to make sense to me, but can anyone confirm this for me?

Does anyone have an exploded parts diagram for a Salisbury front axle? They were available from some SIII's, FC's and others.
Thanks for the help!

[greenmeanie]

That is almost the truck I want to build! Aaargh, now I am jealous. If I may ask is that a DIY snorkel or a bought item. Can you provide some details? I want to do a raised intake but more to get as high out the dust as possible as fording in the desert is a rather rare, and incredibly dangerous monsoon event.

Can I also ask you to give details of your brake master/servo and clutch master cyl arrangement.

Oh and on my 101 the knuckles are huge compard to a series front axle so no easy swap there. IIRC the explanation was because of the CV's for the higher rated salisbury are bigger than the UJ's but that was just picked off an internet forum. If you were adventurous I would look at the front salisbury off a coiler. The knuckles would be the same and you'd have an easy disk brake conversion. Of course you then get into the cost and fun of finding a coiler front sals - do you feel lucky?

Cheers
Gregor

[greenmeanie]

Well of interest on ebay are
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Land-Rover-Series-109-Front-Salisbury-axle-Prop-shaft_W0QQitemZ110218914902QQihZ001QQcategoryZ3134 8QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/land-rover-110-armoured-salisbury-axle_W0QQitemZ280195228261QQihZ018QQcategoryZ31348 QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Shipping might hurt a bit.

Cheers
Gregor

[gallf1]

109 with V-8

Hi Gregor:
Yes, I was looking at both of those axles on Ebay, you are right the best freight quote I could get was over $1000!!! The one from the Series III V-8 Stage 1 is very similar to the one that I am looking at here in the States. While the axle shafts are larger diameter and have more splines (thus stronger than a standard LR axle) they run inside of standard LR swivel balls, housings and stub axles that you would see in SIIA'a and SIII's.
So, with the exception of different bearings (due to larger shafts) and upgrading from 10-spline drive flange to 24-spline drive flange, the rest is stock. But the Salisbury has a much stronger differential and the parts are interchangeable with Dana 60's.
I made the snorkel on my rig from 4" od aluminized exhaust tubing, some minor welding and fab work and then it was all painted with flat black POR-15. The rubber elbow just at the bottom of the windscreen is a corrugated rubber piece typically used for farm equipment. The unit at the top of the snorkel is a "Pre-cleaner" which has a rotating rotor in it that ejects particles out so that they cant get inside the snorkel, and it works as a rain cap. Inside and under the wing there are a series of 90 degree elbows and another corrugated rubber connection to the air cleaner housing. Total cost was roughly $150 for the parts.
The external clutch slave cylinder is a stock Ford item that is desgined to work with the Ford belhousing mated to the Ford 302. I had to modify the LR clutch pedal housing to accept the master cylinder. It wasnt a big deal.
The front axle has disc brakes (BearMach kit) and I used a power brake servo and master cylinder from a Toyota HD pick-up truck as the master cylinder is designed for disc front and drum rear brakes. Plenty os stopping power even with the 36" tires that I am running (9.00 x 16lt on Wolf rims).

[yorker]

how well do the 9.00 16s fit? Is that built on an ex MOD frame?

[TeriAnn]

Golly, there seems to be quite a few 302 based 109s out there.

When mine was first converted I continued to use the Mantec snorkel that the 2.25L engine was using but found the long 2-1/2 inch dia tube to be too restrictive. 3 inch is about as small as you want to get with a V8 and I just didn't want to stare at a 3 inch dia. pipe that would restrict the scuttle vent.

When I converted to 1991 Mustang EFI I went with a Donaldson canister filter and prefilter.

The canister hangs from the underside of the wing. You can see the bottom edge at the top of the wheel arch. The prefilter sits just above the intake, a straight shot 3 inch tube. The filter out pipe is a almost straight shot to the manifold mounted throttle body via the MAF unit that is mounted to the air filter's out pipe. There is just enough space in front of the canister filter to replace the filter element without removing the filter. I've tried to minimize air flow resistance while getting cooler cleaner air from above the engine compartment. Donaldson specs minimum distance between the prefilter opening and another surface as 6 inches. Mine is a little longer. Just the right height so I can see past it and be entertained by the little whirly whirly thingies inside (simple things to entertain simple minds).

I ended up using the stock Series III master clutch cylinder, rubber tube and slave cylinder. The bracket is a modified IIA slave cylinder mounting bracket.

The front axle has disc brakes (BearMach kit) and I used a power brake servo and master cylinder from a Toyota HD pick-up truck as the master cylinder is designed for disc front and drum rear brakes. Plenty os stopping power even with the 36" tires that I am running (9.00 x 16lt on Wolf rims).

I too have front disc brakes but am using stock SIII master cylinder and booster. This works fine for me but I wonder what a little larger booster might do. Do you know how much boost you get with the toy booster? Was it a bolt on? Did you have to play games with the brake tube fittings? Just curious. Of course now I'm just running tiny 33.3 inch dia tyres and not the big ones you have.

Did you really need all the roof and wing vents?

Hi Gregor:
Yes, I was looking at both of those axles on Ebay, you are right the best freight quote I could get was over $1000!!!

A 24 spline conversion for a Rover front axle would cost you between about US$3000 to $3400. So compare that to the cost of buying a used front Salisbury, getting it home and going through it to make sure everything is in good shape, clean and properly sealed.

Is that cost using a freight consolidator? It is usually cheaper to ship your stuff bundled with other shipments than to ship it by itself.

Sorry no front Salisbury parts drawings.

[yorker]

If you already have front disc brakes why don't you just get the upgraded shafts from Jim?

Two complete 24-spline front axle shafts including inner bearing race and seal race, and a Precision brand 371 universal joint (not installed for shipping). $1650.00 plus shipping.

Sure you still have the Rover diff but it is a step up. Are you braking the 10 spline stuff with regularity now?

[leafsprung]

A 24 spline conversion for a Rover front axle would cost you between about US$3000 to $3400

You can do it for significantly less.

[gallf1]

109 1-ton wannabe

I am not sure what the actual boost numbers are for the Toyota MC and Vaccum canister, but it handles the 109 fully loaded with the 36.3" diameter tires. I made my own hard line brake pipes and used a combination of stock LR and stock Toyota fittings with no issues. Nice thing about the Toyota MC is that it is already wired for a low fluid level warning light. I also included the Defender shuttle valave in the system in case of circuit failure (redundant as the Toyota MS has seperate chambers for front and rear brake circuits anyways).

I had to modify the existing LR brake pedal housing and cut out the drivers side wing a little, but no worries there.

The bonnet air vent, wing air vents and louvers on the bonnet dramatically add air flow (especially since I have headers on my 302 V-8( and going slow at altitude ie 9,000+ feet in the summer....rarely goes over 180 degrees with electric fan speed on slow to medium rpm's)

I thought about using either GBR or Rover Tracks shafts for my standard LR front axle but as it is currently 10 spline, I would have to change the thrid member to 24 spline. This means either a late Range Rover diff (which is two high at 3.54) or a Toyota third memeber swap PLUS THE AXLE SHAFTS!! Too much money.

The Salisbury front axle/diff I have found is brand new (new old stock) is a 4.7, which is what my rear Salisbury is and is the correct ratio for me due to the tire size, vehcile weight and altitude of my home range.

[TeriAnn]

You can do it for significantly less.

Ops sorry. Brain fade on axle costs. Subtract $1000 from my previous posting. I was thinking $2500 for the front axles and not $1650.

[leafsprung]

This means either a late Range Rover diff (which is two high at 3.54) or a Toyota third memeber swap PLUS THE AXLE SHAFTS!!

Swap the side gears in your 4.7 diff

Subtract $1000 from my previous posting. I was thinking $2500 for the front axles and not $1650.

You can also just make new inners and use the stock late outers for a very inexpensive 24 spline front. 30 splines with longfields would be less than what you are talking.

[TeriAnn]

I am not sure what the actual boost numbers are for the Toyota MC and Vaccum canister,

What year and model did the booster & master cylinder come off of? Maybe I can find the specs if I check around a little. The 88 servo unit (LR17818) is 1.90:1 boost & the 109 server unit (LR15248) is 2.00:1

The bonnet air vent, wing air vents and louvers on the bonnet dramatically add air flow (especially since I have headers on my 302 V-8( and going slow at altitude ie 9,000+ feet in the summer....rarely goes over 180 degrees with electric fan speed on slow to medium rpm's)

I'm using a 190 degree thermostat (rosty toasty hot air out of the kodiak) because the EFI system was designed to run at that temperature. I switched from cast iron exhaust manifolds to headers in 2006. Instead of vents I added insulated sleaving over the clutch hydraulic line, fuel lines and wiring in the area. I haven't trailed at 9000 feet in the summer since I made the switchover so I guess the jury is still out.

Like you, I'm using an aluminum cross flow radiator. So far the radiator has handled the cooling OK.

Trial fit



My electric fan is from a Mercedes V8

I thought about using either GBR or Rover Tracks shafts for my standard LR front axle but as it is currently 10 spline, I would have to change the thrid member to 24 spline. This means either a late Range Rover diff (which is two high at 3.54)

You can always change the R&P gears in the later carrier or put the bigger spider gears in the earlier carrier. I had Great Basin build a diff with RR Classic housing, Trutrac carrier, 24 spline spider gears and 4.75 R&P

I wrote a web page describing my upgrade which may help you decide what to do.

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/frontAxleRebuild.htm

[gallf1]

Salisbury front axle

Well, I decided to go ahead and purchase the New Old Stock (still wrapped in wax paper!!) Salisbury front axle, it is already here in the USA. It comes complete with new 24-spline 1.25" diameter axle shafts and new u-joints. It does not come with any running gear from the axle mounting flange outboard to the hubs.
I will take the swivel ball(s), housings, stub axles and BearMach disc brakes off of my current standard rover front axle and transfer them over to the Salsibury axle.
My current Warn 10-spline free hubs will not work, but 24 spline units are readily available.

So for less than the costs of GBR or Rover Tracks axles alone, I will have a brand new Salisbury front axle with brand new 4.7 differential gears and axle shafts. And, as I just rebuilt the current rover front axle bearings, railco bushes, swivel balls etc I dont need much other than a few gaskets, seals and of course the 24-spline free hubs.

Another nice thing is that since most parts from the Salisbury axles are interchangeable with Dana 60's I can change gear ratios locally with a 4x4 shop much cheaper.

I run 9.00 x 16lt tires (36.3" overall diameter ) which means that the larger differential size of the Salisbury wont matter too much for ground clearance.

[leafsprung]

Where did it come from?

[KingSlug]

They might have come from here.

http://www.tntlr.com/axles.htm

Jared